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I love the passion that Julian Fellowes has for British history and for Queen Victoria especially. Given that his wife is the former Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Michael of Kent, he had the luxury of access to royal documents in writing the screenplay for this royal biopic.

For those who wonder how true the film was to Victorian history, I like how Fellowes addresses some of those points in this interview. I had previously linked to a similar interview with him but it was removed from Youtube.

I wonder if anyone has not seen this film yet...and if not, what are ya waiting for?? :)(Yes, I adore this film so pardon my obsessing over it!)

Pop heart-throb Nick Jonas arrives in London soon to prepare for his West End theatre debut, playing the role of Marius in Les Miserables.

I can reveal that Nick, 17, will perform the part of student Marius at the Queen's Theatre for a three week run from June 21.

It's not the first time the singer has been associated with the blockbuster musical, which is now in its 25th year. He played the part of Gavroche in the last nine months of Les Miserable's run on Broadway in 2003.

Meanwhile, a revised version of Les Miserables has been playing to sell- out audiences across Britain. That production is now in Paris for a six-week run before resuming its UK tour, which will include a run at London's Barbican from September 14.

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Mackintosh told [Baz of Daily Mail] there will be Les Mis productions next year and the year after in Madrid, Mexico, Korea, Italy, Japan and the U.S..

And a screenwriter is about to be contracted to work on a big-screen version which Mackintosh is producing with Working Title Films.

I was hoping that they'd be further ahead by now but at least they're starting somewhere for what I hope will be a great musical film of this Victor Hugo classic.Hey, wait a minute! I just realized that in all those countries listed, nowhere do I see Canada?! I knew I should have seen it back in my first year of university when the city was plastered with posters for the musical. Sadly, I didn't know then what it was all about!

At the conclusion of the Cannes Film Festival, on May 28, 2010, a bunch of historical period dramas were mentioned by various production teams as being under development.William the ConquererStarz production: focuses on the famous French ruler who, in 1066, led the last successful invasion of the British Isles. [THR](October 14th, 1066 is the most famous date in English history. It is the year of TWO invasions of England, and in which three huge and bloody pitched battles were fought.)I'm curious about this one since there were two different films mentioned last year, both titled "1066", not sure if this is one of them renamed

World Without EndBanking on the success of yet-to-be-released Pillars of the Earth, Starz has already ordered a series of Pillar's sequel novel by Ken Follett. VarietyPharoah12-part series brought by producers of Rome, co-production of BBC and HBO"Like "Rome," "Pharaoh" homes in on one dramatic period: the New Kingdom that began in 1479 B.C. with the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, a rare female pharaoh, who ruled as regent until her nephew, Thutmosis III, took the throne.The mighty warrior pharaoh created the largest empire ancient Egypt had ever seen, an international super-power sprawling from southern Syria to northern Sudan."

"Pharaoh," like "Rome," will mix "characters at all levels of life," says producer John Milius, historical and fictional figures, common people with which audiences can identify. One will be a tomb-robber, Milius suggests, others a priest, soldiers and merchants, says Sichler."Egyptian civilization is remakarbly modern. Egypt's dealings with other powers, the Syrians, Metannites, Babylonian civilizations, are strikingly contemporary in their arguments, their distrust for each other, their building up of separate cultures," he says."What's important in Egypt compared to Rome is the mysticism, the relationship to death, mummification, to life after death," says Sichler.[filmchat]The Borgias (2011)"a complex, unvarnished portrait of one of history's most intriguing and infamous dynastic families."Cast: Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia, the family patriarch who was elected pope (taking the name Alexander VI) in 1492.(pictured on left)Derek Jacobi (Cardinal Orsini)Colm Feore (Rodrigo's rival, Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere) To be produced by Michael Hirst (The Tudors)[tv.broadwayworld], [cbc]

The Guns of August4x90 minute historical miniseries based on the Pulitzer-prize winning book by Barbara Tuchman about the first months of World War I.To be produced by Frank Doelger (Into The Storm)"Originally published in 1962, "The Guns of August" was an instant best-seller. It also helped shape world events. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, then U.S. President John F. Kennedy commanded his cabinet and all his key advisers read it for its lessons on how military escalation can rapidly spiral out of control. "[THR]

PompeiiSony Pictures to produce a 4 hour miniseries "both a love story and a thriller, with the historical, apocalyptic backdrop of a city on the precipice of destruction and characters who are totally relatable to a contemporary audience" [THR]The MediciSky Italia along with BBC to produce 8-part Renaissance epic."In the era of such characters as Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Galileo, the tale follows the power struggles, violence and sexual intrigues of a banking dynasty that was behind an architectural and artistic rebirth that is still unmatched and went on to make the Medicis one of the most powerful families in Italian history." [THR]

For those of you who are fans of Richard Armitage, here are some videos and interviews that he's done lately. Five tidbits about an actor that has captured the hearts of countless women around the globe!#ONEListen to audio interviewwith Richard regarding Hollywood, his suggestion for a Spooks film and ongoing plans for Richard III - found thanks to @RA_central @RAnetdotcom

#TWO Article on Crinkles in UK's Reader's Digest, check out the entire magazine article graciously scanned for us at RichardArmitageOnline.com

RA: We had a great time, although it was so hot it felt like you were in an oven. We filmed in a poor black township outside Pretoria that everybody told us was dangerous, but we’d often play football with the kids. Once we didn’t have anywhere to change and one of the locals said, ‘Come to my house.’ It was a tin shack, but it was spotlessly clean. You can’t believe it’s somebody’s home. It was so humbling.

Speaking of which, how’s your love life?RA: Unfortunately, my love life is nil. I’m not in a relationship any longer – I’m working too much – but I would like to settle down at some point. That’s probably why I’m going to LA soon, when I’m not tied down. I feel like if you don’t try LA, then people will think you’ve failed.

Do you want a family?RA: Yes, I’d like a wife and family. I spend so much time with my brother’s little boy, Abe, who’s coming up to five, and he’s so hilarious. Playing a father in Strike Back has really resonated with me, although I can’t believe I’m starting to get cast with teenage daughters! I’m quite relieved I don’t have that responsibility in real life, but I look around and my fellow actors are having babies and I’m envious. One day, one day.

But you’ll turn 40 next year. Isn’t about time you gave it some thought?RA: Yes. That’s part of the problem, isn’t it, because I still feel like I’m 25 in my head. I always thought when I got to 40 it would be OK because I’d feel 40, but I don’t.

Note: I've previewed part of the first episode and have decided that its adult content makes it unsuitable viewing for myself. It's unfortunate since I was looking forward to a retelling of the story of Arthur and was excited about some of the actors that were part of the cast.

Katie Holmes is set to play First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in History Channel’s new eight-hour scripted miniseries, The Kennedys. The 31-year-old actress would play the on-screen wife of Greg Kinnear, who has signed on to star as President John F. Kennedy. Filming to begin June 7, 2010.

According to Variety, Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan, Princess Kaiulani) will play Robert Kennedy and Tom Wilkinson (John Adams, Girl with a Pearl Earring) will appear as family patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr.. The Kennedys will air in 2011 on The History Channel.

Exec producer Joel Surnow is behind "The Kennedys," along with Asylum's Jonathan Koch and Steve Michaels. Steve Kronish is writing the screenplay, while Jon Cassar will direct. Kronish and Cassar are alums of "24," which Surnow co-created. Variety

"The Kennedys" is the first foray by History into scripted mini-series, and it looks at the rise of the family's political dynasty and the early years of Kennedy's presidency before he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963.

His presidency is often referred to as America's Camelot because it was a time of hope and optimism as the young president and his wife occupied the White House. They were widely seen as a new generation taking the reins of power. Reuters

The intent is for the film to have a contemporary feel, though that does not mean ditching the period setting.

“We are definitely modernizing ‘The Three Musketeers’ without compromising the fun of shooting a period piece,” said Anderson, who hopes to shoot in France and Germany. “But in our film, corsets and feathered hats don’t take center stage. Our version is rich in eye-popping action, romance and adventure.”

[Macfadyen shown on left in lame attempt at photoshop, shown on right spotted on set]

Screencrave: "This film truly has an international cast. Waltz is Austrian, Jovovich is from the Ukraine, Evans and Macfayden are from the UK, Mikkelsen is Danish, Stevenson is Irish, and Lerman is American. It looks like this movie will have something for everyone."